Glenn and I went to Kansas last weekend to see first hand the hype of how bad the quail season really is in central Kansas…the heart of gentleman country. While loading my dog box into the bed of Glenn’s nice Ford pickup, I left my tattered ol’ Sharp-tail boots at the side of the Tacoma…rookie error! I had a nice pair of walking shoes, but Kansas got dumped on a week before and the snow (and muck) was still stacked up. When we arrived at our destination, my friend and our host (the quail bum) shook his head and called me a “rookie” (and a few other choice words) and proclaimed that those damn shoes won’t do! Off we went to the nearest town to get some proper foot gear. The only thing in my size were Under Armour’s Ridge Reapers…of course I wanted Danner’s or Filson’s boots, but they only had men’s boots in 13′s or 8&1/2′s. I caved. Under Armour goes all out on everything they tackle! The boots were instantly comfortable and not a sore-spot or blister did develop in 4 days of hard walking on both the Colorado and Kansas prairies. And, yes! There were birds worth walking for! 12 coveys in Kansas and 4 coveys in the cholla-choked short grass prairies of Colorado. I love these new boots!
Under Armour Ridge Reaper Boots
Covey right here
Stacking em Up
Black & Blue
Gearing the A-Team
Shadows on the Prairie
Here’s what Under Armour has to say about their boots:
- GORE-TEX® lining is 100% waterproof, but still allows sweat to escape, keeping your boots dry, inside and out
- Full-grain, waterproof leather upper is durable and reinforced with double-needle stitching, extending the life of your boot
- Fully contoured, compression-molded EVA midsole cushions your foot, without adding excess weight
- Textured, high-abrasion rubber toe rand protects your foot from hazards in rough terrain
- Aggressive traction outsole, composed of high-abrasion rubber, is engineered to grip, while shedding mud and debris
- Thermoplastic shank provides enhanced support through the midsole arch without adding the weight of steel
- Molded OrthoLite® footbed is designed with a memory foam top and high rebound foam bottom, for a customized, comfort fit
- ETC® Anti-Friction Lining prevents rubbing on the foot, as well as wicking moisture to keep you dry and comfortable
- Speed lacing system with metal brush guards and UA branded shanks, for easy on/off without sacrificing a secure fit
- Soft, full-grain leather collar and tongue lining provide increased durability
- Weight: 25.5 oz.
- Height: 8.5″
WHY WE MADE IT: Out on the ridge, you don’t want gimmicks. You want hi-tech innovation and traditional toughness. When UA Hunt sat down to design the core hunting boot for our outdoor collection, we gathered up all the top hunting boots and went through them one by one. We picked out the features that worked, scrapped the ones that didn’t, and created some stuff that was just begging to be invented. In the end, we came up with a lighter and faster pair of boots that still don’t compromise on toughness. The Ridge Reaper™ mixes traditional, durable full-grain leather with advanced synthetics to give you the speed and strength you need on the hunt.
Setter Feathers…
Kansas Mixed Bag
